An eighth successive Ladies’s Six Nations defeat – delivery 62 factors within the course of – leaves Wales in fifth, one level away from backside aspect Italy.
How do you set a constructive spin on that? Effectively, the overwhelmingly grim statistics haunting Wales don’t inform the total story.
Earlier than the sport, head coach Sean Lynn known as on his gamers to point out grit, depth, and resilience – and so they delivered that in spades.
After struggling to get out of their half within the opening quarter-hour, Wales wrestled again momentum to complete the half with 50% possession, two tries on the board, and England scratching their heads as to easy methods to neutralise their line-out.
Early within the second half, Jaz Joyce pulled off a try-saving sort out to disclaim Ellie Kildunne, and so they restricted the injury to only one attempt when right down to 14 gamers after Kayleigh Powell was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.
The 2 late tries, which not solely secured the bonus level but additionally meant Wales registered their highest rating in opposition to England, had been simply reward.
And you can see what it meant to the gamers. Bevan, who burst via England’s defence in a person second of magic to safe the sphere place for her opening attempt, was mobbed by not solely the opposite 14 gamers on the sphere but additionally 5 orange-bibbed substitutes. The bonus level was greeted with hugs all spherical.
Sure, this was one other heavy defeat. Sure, there have been messy moments and particular person errors, together with a number of charged-down kicks, a restart going out of play, and overthrown line-outs.
However it is a aspect taking strides in the appropriate course.
